The Monk's Tale
Folio 216v
19 of 20 folios
Bot on a time Brutus Cassius
Þat euere hadde of his hihe astate envie
Ful piuely had maad conspiracye
Aȝeynes þis Iulius in subtilite wise
615
And kest þe place in whiche he scholde deye
Wiþ Bodekynnes as .I. schal ȝowe devise
¶ This Iulius to þe Capitoile went
Vpon a daie as he was wont to goone
And in þe Capitoile anone him hente
620
This falce Brutus on of his foule fone
And stikked him wiþ Bodekinnes anone
Wiþ mony a wound & þus þe lete him lye
Bot neuere gronte he att no stroke bott one
Or elles att tuo bot if his story lye
625
¶ So manly was þis Iulius of hert
And so wele loued estately honeste
Þat þouht his dedely woundes so sore smert
His Mantil ouere his hippes cast he
For no man schol se his piuetee
630
And as he lay in deynge in a trance
And wist verraily þat dede was he
Of honeste ȝit hadde he Remembrance
¶ Lucan to þis story .I. recōmende
And to Swetoū & to Valerius also
635
Þat of þis storie writeþ worde & ende
How þat þes grete Conquerous two
Fortune was first frende & siþen foo
No man ne trust vpon his fauor longe
Bot haue hir in awaite for euer mo
640
Wittnesse on aƚƚ þes conqueroures stronge
¶ This Riche Cresus whilom kinge of Lyde
Of whiche Cresus Ciquus sore him dradde
Ȝette was he cauht amydes al his pride
And to be brent men to þe fire him ladde
645
Bot suche a Raine doune fro þe walkyn schadde
Þat slouhe þe fire & maade him to eskape
Bot to be warre ȝitte no grace he hadde
Til fortune on þe galoues maade him gape
¶ Whan he ascaped was he can nouht stinte
650
For to be ginne a newe Reyne aȝeine
He wende wele þat fortune him sente